BY Femi Owolabi
The police have arrested Victor Ogungbenro and Tosin Ajuwon, journalists with SaharaReporters, while the Lagos office of the organisation is reportedly being monitored by security agents.
While Ogungbenro, a video editor, was arrested alongside some #RevolutionNow protesters in Lagos, Ajuwon was picked up at Ore in Ondo state.
Olajuwon, one of the reporters of the organisation in Ondo, who was covering the protest when the police swooped on him.
In Lagos, the protesters had gathered at the National Stadium in Lagos, chanting #RevolutionNow and demanding the release of Omoyele Sowore, convener of the group who was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) on Saturday.
Some #RevolutionNow protesters
After they had been dispersed with teargas and gunshots, Ogungbero who was filming the protest was picked and thrown into a stationed van.
“Yes, he is a reporter with Sowore’s Sahara Reporters and he’s part of the protest,” Tijani Fatai, an assistant commissioner of police told TheCable when asked about the journalist’s arrest.
Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2019 election, is the publisher of Sahara Reporters, an online platform that has been critical of the government.
Ogungbenro being dragged by the Nigerian police
Earlier, Fatai had also said they have an order from the inspector-general of police (IGP) to disperse the “unlawful gathering”.
Inibehe Effiong, AAC lawyer, confirmed to TheCable that those arrested in Lagos are currently being detained at the police area C command in Surulere, Lagos.
He said efforts were being made to secure their release.
The platform reported that a policeman was seen around the office in Ikeja, while a car was parked at its front and inside the car were two DSS operatives.
A source told TheCable that reporters had been directed to stay away from the office as a result of the current situation.
Photo credit: Kolapo Olapoju
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